A Tragic Tale: Voices Carry
by TheYesBarrage
Summary: Dolph left the love of his life for Alberto, someone who he thought he knew until one night he started beating him and beatings only got worse and worse. What happens when Jack finds him lying unconscious and did he save him in time? TW: Abuse, character death pairings: Dolph/Alberto, AJ/Daniel, Dolph/Jack
1. Chp 1: Voices Carry

**Well hello guys :3 I am finally back writing another Zwaggler fic you know my otp before AJDaniel happened xD It's actually gonna be a zwaggler/ajdaniel fic really but definitely mostly Zwaggler. I just suddenly realized that my feels for Zwaggler were not dead NEVER DEAD. I don't own Jack or Dolph or anyone that shows up or the lyrics, they go to their rightful owners. Please enjoy. A little heads up though, there will be violence and abuse and things of that nature so if it makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to back space or click that red x in the corner I promise, I won't be mad at you for it**

_He wants me, but only part of the time  
He wants me, if he can keep me in line_

It happened again. Dolph was holding his face , standing against the wall avoiding eye contact with his current boyfriend, Alberto. It wasn't always like this. Dolph remembered when he and Alberto started going together, in fact he let Alberto steal him away from Jack, the one man he loved more than anything, at least he thought he did til Alberto lusted him away. At first, Dolph was smitten with Alberto. Love at first sight almost. Alberto had fancy cars, lots of money and on top of it was a sweet heart. Key word being was. Dolph never could have dreamed that months down the line , Alberto would turn into this monster. First it started with little comments about his weight which Dolph brushed from his mind, not thinking anything of it. Not until that first night Alberto laid his hands on him. Smacking him out of his chair for eating a salad. For declining his fine cooking, for preferring his typical salad and vitamin water. Alberto climbed on him, knees on his chest force feeding him chicken and rice, nearly choking him. Dolph threw up some of it which made Alberto start punching him, yelling at him for wasting the food. Dolph was too stunned to fight back. He was in tears begging him to stop and Alberto eventually did and got up knocking everything on the floor and telling Dolph to clean it up or he'd be back to correct him. From that night on, Dolph had been living in fear, terrified. He had went out today with AJ, his best friend who was getting married soon to the love of her life, Daniel. Dolph longed for a love like theirs and often cried late at night because he did have that, but chose Alberto instead and was living to regret it. He had been out late with AJ and Dolph's phone had died. Alberto waited at the door for Dolph and as soon as he came in he snatched him in by his neck and slammed him against the door, punch after punch battering his face for not picking up his phone, for not saying he was going to be late. Dolph could barely breathe after that beating and Alberto only stopped because he had a business call. Dolph made his way to the bed room and was going to call someone to come get him but the conference call wasn't as long as he'd hoped and Alberto saw him with the phone and threw it on the ground and pushed Dolph against the wall, his face inches away from Dolph's breathing hard on him.

"Look at me, mi amor" He said, almost calmly but Dolph knew that was just the calm before the storm. Alberto grabbed his boyfriends face and forced him to look at him. "What were you doing with the phone?"

"N-nothing" Dolph stammered out. "I was going to put it back on the hook by the bed"

"Don't lie to me" Alberto sneered as he raised his hand and Dolph winced "You wouldn't get punished if you were good. You know I only do this because I love you. I just wish you didn't need to be corrected all the time. You know that don't you?"

"Y-Yes" Dolph looked down. "I-I'm sorry."

"I wish you were" Alberto's hand crashed with Dolph's tender skin on his face, already red and burning from earlier. Five hard slaps later he let Dolph go, the younger man slouching down on the floor in agony. "Clean up. Dinner is soon"

"But it's late."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't eat and I figured I'd have dinner with my boyfriend but I guess you had dinner already with your little friend. I guess she's more important than me" Alberto peered down at his boyfriend, his features growing dark and sinister.

"No...I love you, you're the most important to me. I'd love to eat dinner with you" Dolph said quickly in hopes it would keep Alberto from hurting him again.

"Good" Alberto's tones quickly lightened up and he stood upright. "Now be down in five minutes alright?"

"Alright"

"Alright? No no that is not how you talk to me"

"I mean, yes sir"

"Good boy, Dolph. See within time you won't need to be corrected, you'll soon know how to act right" Alberto petted his boyfriend almost like he was a puppy in need of training. Something Dolph hated. Dolph watched Alberto leave the room and head downstairs and leaned against the wall, tearing burning his cheeks. He truly regretted leaving Jack for this. Jack would never do this to him, not in a million years. There wasn't a day he didn't wonder what Jack was doing, that he wanted to call him but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He needed out of this bad, he just didn't know how to escape.__

_Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry  
Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry  
_


	2. Chp 2: Echo

_Sometimes when I close my eyes_

_I pretend I'm alright_

_But it's never enough_

"Daniel, I think we should go back over there" AJ was pacing back and forth nervously. She knew that Alberto had been hitting Dolph, it was obvious. She had confided in Daniel and Daniel had confronted Alberto many times and it seemed that it only made things worse. They tried to go to the cops, but they didn't believe them, thinking they were just out to make Alberto look bad. To the people, Alberto was well respected. Always giving to charities. Always helping out around the town, setting up new programs and everything. Anyone talking bad about him was automatically labeled a conspirator against him. AJ had her hand rested on her stomach, not able to do much seeing as she was pregnant with Daniel's child. It only upset her more that she couldn't be of more help to her good friend. She could sense when Dolph left her car that something bad possibly happened and it was tearing apart.

"AJ..."Daniel trailed off as he got up from the table and held her. She had been talking to him while he was on his laptop and he got some news that he didn't know how to break to her. He was on Facebook telling his mother how AJ was doing until a tiny facebook chat window popped up and it was Jack saying he got a text from Dolph, a eerie text and he rushed over and found him knocked out and was at the hospital with him, not sure if he was going to be okay. Daniel knew telling AJ would upset her deeply and harm the baby. He wanted so bad to find a way to avoid telling her. "AJ...everything...will be fine" He said not even believing his words because he was scared it wouldn't be. "Please calm down. I can go check on him if you want. I want you to stay here." He told her as he went to get his coat with AJ following behind him, a frown almost etched in her face. "Please, don't worry...everything is going to be okay"

"How can it be?! Alberto beats him and he probably did it again. What if...what if he kills him?" AJ broke down in tears and Daniel held her tightly, letting her cry against his chest. "I swear if he kills Alberto, I don't care what happens, I'd do anything to take him out"

"I know, baby" Daniel ran his fingers through her hair in an attempt to calm her. "I don't get how anyone could do that to someone they claim they love. I'd never ever do that to you or anyone"

"Alberto is a heartless sack of crap, that's why" AJ sneered and suddenly she felt a harsh cramp that made her fall a bit, but Daniel kept his grip firm on her. She felt a few more cramps over the next five minutes until finally she saw liquid on the floor. "Daniel..." She looked up at him in tears from the pain and stress she was feeling over Dolph. "I think..I think it's time" She told him as she felt another sharp pain. Daniel would have panicked if circumstances were different, but he knew he had to be doubly as strong for her now. He carried her and brought her to the car, the bags already packed in there because she was expected to have their baby at any time. "Oh Daniel! It hurts so fucking bad!" AJ shouted next to him, tears framing her face "Why is this so bad?! I can't stand it!" It killed Daniel to see her in such pain but he tried his best to soothe her as they drove to the hospital, hoping that everything would be fine, not only for them, but for Dolph too.

Meanwhile in the hospital, Jack was in Dolph's room holding his hand. Dolph had finally come to and was looking around the room a bit. His eyes locked on Jack and on Jack holding his hand. He thought he had died and was in heaven, not remembering he sent Jack a text, begging him to come help him before blacking out completely. Dolph looked up at Jack, trying to smile at him but his mouth , his face hurt too much to show emotion.

"Where is Alberto?" He asked lowly

"The pansy left you there. He really did a number on you"

"It's not that bad. Really? I probably deserved it. I remember a little...he asked me if I wanted more food and I said no. I wasted his food. People are starving in this world and I wasn't grateful. He had to correct me. That's all"

"Dolph! Do you hear yourself?" Jack's eyes widened as he heard his ex talk like this It tore him apart that Dolph was so messed up because of Alberto that he thought he needed to be corrected. That what was happening wasn't abuse but just punishment for acting up. "He beat you so bad you were barely moving when I saw you. Your arm is broken, ribs are broken , your eye socket smashed. You didn't deserve that. How long has this been going on? Why didn't you call me to help you before it got this bad"

"It's not that bad" Dolph repeated himself from earlier "I don't need to be saved. I was bad is all."

"Dolph, stop saying that" Jack's eyes welled with tears figuring this had been happening for so long and Dolph hadn't told anyone. He hadn't told anyone to his knowledge at least. "Dolph, you didn't deserve this"

"Yes I did" Dolph said moving his hand out of Jack's. "Alberto will be here. I know it"

"No he won't!" Jack rose his voice at Dolph, which startled him. "I'm sorry to yell at you, but Alberto never loved you"

"Oh? Like you did when you cheated on me with Antonio?"

"Yeah that was bad and I've apologized but never once did I ever put my hands on you and use some bullshit excuse such as correcting. I loved you. Hell, I still do" Jack admitted which brought him to tears, so much so he had to go to the waiting room, not able to handle the outburst of emotion. It was a dawning of realization. All this time, he had still loved Dolph so bad , so badly he wanted Dolph to come back to him. He knew he messed up but they were fine for a bit until Alberto go in the picture and looking at what Alberto did to him made his blood boil red. He wanted nothing more but to choke Alberto to death but he knew that wouldn't solve anything. He headed back to the room only to be pushed over by doctors because Dolph started to lose consciousness and they were rushing him to another room. Jack stood by , hoping that this wasn't the last time he'd be seeing Dolph. Hoping he could at least hear him say he loved him back. Even if Dolph didn't say that, he wanted to hear anything, any old phrase. Just as long as it wasn't someone coming out to tell him that he was gone.

_Cause' my echo, echo is the only voice coming back_

_Shadow, shadow is the only friend that I have_


	3. Finale: Don't Cry

_Don't you take it so hard now_

_And please don't take it so bad_

_I'll still be thinking of you_

_And the times we had_

Daniel was pacing in the waiting room once AJ had been taken in to maternity. They had to do a C section on her and they wouldn't let him in, no matter how much he begged and pleaded. He knew AJ would be alright, he knew it, but it was Dolph he was worried about. He was at the vending machine getting a pack of peanuts when he looked up and saw Jack walk in. He walked up to him and patted his arm, trying to offer silent comfort to the other man.

"Is he getting better?" Daniel asked and Jack shook his head no. "I'm sorry. I wish there was something we could have done. Alberto has been out of control...but this..."

"What do you mean has been?" Jack's eyes narrowed at Daniel. "You mean this crap has been going on and no one bothered to fucking tell me?!" He shouted startling everyone in the emergency room. "So what you and AJ kept it to yourself. Dolph might die in there and you guys have been holding out information and no one told the cops"

"We have! The cops don't fucking believe us and we would have told you but Dolph expressed not telling you in fear you'd fucking get hurt!" Daniel rose his voice back at Jack. "Don't you dare think AJ and I would stand idly by as our friend is getting beat. It's this town that seems to think you say one wrong thing about Alberto and you are a fucking sinner. The guy isn't a saint!"

"I'm sorry" Jack backed down. "I'm just really worked up. Dolph lost consciousness and it looks like he might not make it. He lost a lot of blood and he's so..so broken" Jack broke down in tears and Daniel tried his best to comfort the bigger man. He brought him over to a chair and he sat next to him, his arms wrapped around him, rubbing his back. A doctor soon came out, one that Daniel didn't recognize but Jack did. He could feel Jack tense up at the sight of the doctor. He helped him up and they both walked up to her, Daniel trying his best to keep him.

"Mr. Hager?" The doctor looked at him. "We have some bad news"

"Oh please no" Jack shook his head hoping he wouldn't hear what he knew he was about to hear. "Please doctor, anything but this. Please don't say it. Please don't."

"I'm sorry. With the blood loss. His body went into shock...we...we couldn't save him."

"No no no" Jack kept shaking his head refusing to take it in. "He's not gone"

"I'm sorry." The doctor tried to offer Jack comfort but he just sank to his knees, not caring who saw him, letting out the most painful cry that made Daniel cry because of the sound of it. He was broken up by this, torn apart and knew that eventually he'd have to tell AJ. Daniel just stood with his hand on Jack's back, letting the tears fall. A nurse soon came to tell Daniel that AJ had their child successfully, a girl named Charlotte Nicole , Nicole as the middle name because she promised Dolph she'd name it that because it was a feminine version of his actual name. Daniel knew he'd have to go see her soon and wanted to see the baby, but the emotions of Dolph being gone, it was just so much going on. Jack eventually calmed down and agreed to go with Daniel to break the news to AJ, trying to keep the mood lighthearted as possible before it got dark. Daniel and Jack walked in the room and saw AJ on the bed holding the baby, radiant in the afterglow of birth.

"Daniel, come say hello to Charlotte Nicole" She smiled over at her boyfriend as he went over to hold their child, trying his best not to cry at both the sight of her and the news he heard moments ago "Jack, you're going to be an uncle!"

"I'm happy for that" He smiled a tiny bit.

"I just can't wait to tell Dolph. He'll be so happy" AJ said which made the room grow dead silent. It was only broken when Jack cleared his throat and walked over to the other side of the bed and gently took AJ's hand. "What are you doing?"

"AJ...you have to promise me...that no matter what I tell you that you remain calm. I know it'll be hard but please" The tears started falling again. "I found Dolph today in his home and brought him here. He lost a lot of blood...and Daniel and I just got the news...AJ...he's gone" Jack broke down again while holding her hand and AJ didn't even respond, just looked around the room blankly, not able to process what was going on "I'm so sorry to tell you after this happy moment, but you have to know."

"Thanks for telling me" She said as she looked down at her free hand. "At least...the baby has his name...well kind of...he won't be forgotten, but damn it I just knew , I had a feeling something horrible happened" She started rambling, crying hysterically. "I just knew it. I just did!" She was squeezing Jack's hand as Daniel placed the baby in the bassinet and went to help comfort his girlfriend. "And Alberto is probably out free isn't he?"

"Of course the sick bastard is" Daniel sneered as he held AJ's other hand, "But he is going to get his."

"There is only one silver lining I can think of here" Jack said as he sniffled. "At least, Dolph died knowing...how much I loved him"

_Don't you cry tonight_

_I still love you, baby_

_Don't you cry tonight_

_Don't you cry tonight_

_There's a heaven above you, baby._

_And don't cry tonight._


End file.
